While we are comparing steaks…my friend who works as a meat cutter while he is in grad school just ordered me 30 lbs case of prime hanger steak….it’s harder and harder to get hanger steak as it’s gotten more popular. When he is able to get it I just tell him to order all he can get and I just freeze it. to me hanger the best steak $6/lb can buy. And it’s the secret to the best chicken fried steak ever.
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Hanger is a great steak and as you said quite hard to come by. My secret steak weapon is the Teres Major or Bistro Tender. For my and my wifes taste its the best QPR steak available as we can get it in bulk for around $6 a pound. You can cook it whole and get different doneness or slice it up and grill it in medallions. Tenderness similar to a filet but the flavor of a shoulder/chuck. Check it out if you can find them
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Hanger steak is delicious, the bomb! Triple Yum 
Aka Beef Flap around here. Saw it here today for $12/#!
Stock up @ $6! Wow! Yes, very tender & extremely full of flavor, just as you said!
Bon Appetite:yum:
Btw, Michael you really know your cuts, awesome and excellent!
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Thanks Boris for all your positive comments about the Riesling 345! You convinced me to buy half a case yesterday using that 15% bottle shop discount… 
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Damn, there is now a 20% discount on the 345 
Bad timing hehe
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to anyone - are any of the Shiraz’ ready to drink, or ready with a short decant? The only one I’ve opened so far is N.279, 2016 Clair Valley, and it was (surprisingly) still seemed shut down to me.
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Speaking of #2, #3 - from same winery - Cab Franc - is absolutely delicious. Drinking it now. Wish I had 12 more of these.
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279 can be quite good with a 24 hour slow ox or a double aerating if time is tight. I havent tried either 280 or 343 that i have because i always feel syrah needs 5 plus years to be getting into drinking window
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Took a dive into dN for the first time. The 347 and good reviews of it is what piqued my interest. I’ll have to wait until fall for it all though.
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Matt,
That wonderful (redacted) vineyard 
Checked inventory in cellar moments ago 13 bottles - Thanks to my friend who passed my offer for a case. “Cab Franc” not my “Fav” he mentioned. Yeah, why did you get all excited about that Havens Bourriquet we drank the sheet out of years ago I thought. OK his loss, my gain. And damn I swapped too many of these Lot 3’s too Matt. These first 2020 offerings from de Negoce : I still pinch myself we got these at such bargains - cellaring has paid off.
All the Best. Tim
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yah the “redacted” thing with the 2/3/4 was hilarious. we know where that comes from!
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Tried a Lot 30 since I’ve heard good things.
3-hour decant.
Great Cab nose. Very good. Not “chewy” enough,
mid-palate could be stronger, but otherwise, very good.
Cam us providing us with amazing QPR…Thanks.
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Randy,
What me worry?
Long time Mad reader & previously a subscriber.
Cheers 30 is refined and extra delicious for me….
Agree about the mid-palate.
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Has anyone checked in on 27/28/29 trio recently? Or the infamous 40?
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Following. I have those buried so deep I don’t even know where they are any more. So I’ll probably try them in 20 years, which seemed reasonable last time I tried any of those.
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James,
Had a OG N.29 late last month, coming along well, almost as nice as it’s successor OG N.30 Atlas Peak Cab. My friends that it was shared with, were VERY impressed. Glad to picked up some spare 27 and 29’s on some later sales. 27 is no slouch, very close to 29 in fact. 28 is a wine I’d swap out for something else as I’m sensitive to that “kiss of Brett” aspect. Just me, others might like it.
Cheers, Tim
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James,
40 was one of the wines I was most frustrated with for a long time. But, it finally started turning the corner around 6 months ago but it still needs time and a long decant. I will probably wait another few months before trying it again. That said, it has improved significantly and I am very positive on what this wine and I think it can become a top 10 DN cabernet.
If you have more than a case, then I would think it is fine to try a bottle with a slow ox or extended decant. If you have under a case, I would probably hold onto this one as I think the improvement with even moderate aging will be significant.
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-
2019 Rutz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Notre Vue Estate Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Chalk Hill (5/18/2023)
This wine is quite a paradox. This tasting was conducted for a yearly check-in. The wine, which was very good a year ago is in a really weird place right now. On PnP the fruit shows tons of cranberry, strawberry, and tartness, with very hot alcohol and burn that belies its 14% ABV.
After a few hours, more purple fruit shows, at times it can be slightly syrupy, with possible slight RS. The alcohol doesn't ever seem fully integrated.
At the end of the day, despite what I wrote above, this wine is of quality, but it is closer to a super market buy right now compared to a very fine wine. It's possible that the wine is in a weird place and will come out of it, but that hasn't been my experience with other 2019's.
On days 2 and 3 (after nightly vinovac) the wine seemed to improve slightly on day 2, then go backwards by day 3. There is not an incredible structure here, the wine is generally flabby at times, with heat at the end. (87 points)
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Has anyone opened a 329 yet?
Not yet Luca.
Cheers, Tim
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